CAHP Statement: Health Plans Applaud Governor Signing Bill to Protect Healthy Families Enrollment
September 22, 2009
Contact: Nicole Kasabian Evans
CAHP Board Chair, Howard A. Kahn, left front
Photo courtesy of Office of the Governor
Statement from CAHP Board Chair Howard A. Kahn on AB 1422
SACRAMENTO - "With the swipe of a pen, the future for hundreds of thousands of California's kids is much brighter today. Their families can breathe a sigh a relief as a result of Healthy Families health coverage being saved.
"Without the Legislature passing and the Governor signing AB 1422, families would have faced long waiting lines, or worse, no services at all. Our already crowded emergency rooms would have been the only place these children could turn to for care. Or they would have squeezed even sicker adults out of equally crowded clinics.
"During these tough economic times, the nation's largest state could not afford to eliminate access to health care for children. During this time of hope for reform of our health system, the nation's largest state could not send a message of denial to the nation.
"Thankfully, we no longer have to worry about what will happen to our kids next year.
"Through the leadership of the California Association of Health Plans and the Local Health Plans of California (LHPC), health plans united and partnered with the Governor, the legislators and First 5 to do the right thing - to support a viable solution that would prevent the state from dropping children from Healthy Families while also bringing more federal funds home to California. And, it will not increase premiums one penny for people who get health coverage through their employer or who individually pay for their coverage.
"AB 1422 is part of an overall approach involving contributions from two various sources, including the First 5 program and health plans. We are proud to support this measure and look forward to continuing our discussion with the Legislature and Administration to ensure the smooth implementation of this bill."
Howard A. Kahn is the Chairman of the California Association of Health Plans Board of Directors and the CEO of L.A. Care Health Plan. CAHP is a statewide trade association representing 39 full-service health plans. Through legislative advocacy, education and collaboration with other member organizations, CAHP works to sustain a strong environment in which our member plans can provide access to products that offer choice and flexibility to the more than 21 million members they serve. For more information, please visit www.calhealthplans.org or call (916) 552-2910.
Download this Press Release in PDF format
For media inquiries, please contact Nicole Kasabian Evans, our Vice President of Communications, via e-mail (nevans@calhealthplans.org) or at 916.552.2914.
